Immigration.ca - Canada Immigration News - February 2009
In 2008 Canada saw a record 519,722 new arrivals of permanent residents, temporary workers and foreign students, according to Immigration Minister Jason Kinney.
Minister Kinney made the announcement while speaking at the Internationally Educated Professionals conference in Toronto this week. The conference, which drew over 1,000 participants, was organized by the Progress Career Planning Institute to assist new arrivals in finding employment.
The audience consisted of professionals in various sectors, including engineers and doctors – many of whom are having difficulty finding employment in their field. The most common barrier faced by immigrants to Canada is foreign credential recognition, an issue the Conservatives say has been on their agenda for some time.
“We all know the tragedy of so many people, perhaps some of you, who have arrived in the country with the hope and promise of working in your chosen profession, who have ended up in survival jobs or being underemployed as it relates to your skill level,” said Kenney, calling the situation “intolerable.”
Despite having higher education rates than their Canadian-born counterparts, immigrants still experience higher levels of unemployment in Canada. The Conservative government, under Prime Minister Stephen Harper, has announced plans for a “national framework of foreign credential recognition”, in hopes of curbing that trend.
Source: Toronto Sun
